Previously in The Balanced Sword series
Kyri Victoria Vantage lost her parents to unknown attackers some years before; even the Justiciars of Myrionar, God of Justice and Vengeance, the patron deity of her country Evanwyl, were unable to discover the identity of the assailants. But she has moved on, and her brother Rion has become a Justiciar himself. But then tragedy strikes a second time, and during a sudden and monstrous attack on Evanwyl, something kills Rion, tearing his soul to shreds.
Shocked and now worried that her whole family is in peril, Kyri leaves Evanwyl with her aunt Victoria and younger sister Urelle, travelling to far-distant Zarathanton to begin a new life. But a chance discovery there reveals the hideous truth: that it was the Justiciars who were responsible, the supposed holy warriors somehow betraying everything they stand for. In rage and shock, Kyri demands Myrionar explain itself—and the god answers. Something far worse is happening; Myrionar is weakened, perhaps dying, but It promises Kyri that if she will be true to Myrionar—will become the one true Justiciar—then she will one day have the justice and vengeance she seeks.
Meanwhile, Tobimar Silverun, youngest prince of the country of Skysand, is forced to leave his country in search of the origins of his people—a quest that is thrust on his family once in a generation, and which amounts to exile for twenty-four years . . . unless he can discover their ancient homeland. The mysterious mage Khoros, once Tobimar’s teacher, also warns Tobimar that the next Chaoswar is about to begin, and that this is connected to his quest.
Tobimar’s search leads him to Zarathanton, greatest city of the world, and to a startling meeting with Poplock Duckweed, a diminuitive Toad adventurer who has already disrupted the plans of one of the Mazolishta demonlords, Voorith. The two seek an audience with the Sauran King, only to find that he has been assassinated moments before they enter the Throne Room!
Having accepted Myrionar’s offer, Kyri realizes that if she is to be a Justiciar, she must obtain the magical and powerful Raiment—the armor of a Justiciar—that both symbolizes and protects a Justiciar, and sets out to find the half-legendary Spiritsmith who can forge the Raiment; after managing to discover him—and pass his lethal tests—she convinces him that she is indeed the first of the new Justiciars, and takes the name Phoenix as her new title (as all Justiciars have the names of birds).
As refugees from the Forest Sea begin to pour into Zarathanton in massive quantities, and word of revolutions or wars in distant lands begin to arrive, Tobimar and Poplock realize that they are seeing part of a massive, coordinated plan to destroy the State of the Dragon King and perhaps the peace of the world—certainly part of the Chaoswar that Khoros warned them of.
The small clues that Tobimar had for locating his country suddenly come into clear focus when he realizes that the god Myrionar’s symbolism and location fit everything he has heard, pointing him and Poplock to Evanwyl. In the company of a new ally, Xavier Ross of Earth, they head for Evanwyl, confronting demonic pursuers along the way.
With her new Raiment and accompanying sword, Kyri begins her work of undermining the false Justiciars and preparing to confront them. She attempts to convince the first, Mist Owl, to change sides and help her, but he fears the force behind the false Justiciars too much to do this, and dies at her hand. A second Justiciar, Shrike, also fails to kill her, afraid that she will convince his adoptive son, the Justiciar Condor, to follow her, and this will lead to Condor’s death. Realizing that her confrontational approach is making it almost certain that she must fight each one, she chooses to try another way: to approach them not as a Justiciar, but as their “little sister,” Kyri Vantage. For this, she selects Thornfalcon, the least martial of the Justiciars.
At the same time, Tobimar and Poplock have arrived in Evanwyl, having parted ways temporarily with Xavier. They hear the rumor of a false Justiciar named “Phoenix” who has killed at least one of the real Justiciars, and, as this fits with the sort of thing they’ve already encountered more than once, offer their services to help hunt down this Phoenix. They come across Shrike’s body and deduce where Phoenix is headed next—although they do not realize the truth yet.
Kyri makes contact with Thornfalcon, who seems open to her approach . . . until he reveals that he has set a trap for her. He was the one who killed her brother, and who has directed most of the operations of the false Justiciars (although there is someone or something above him).
Tobimar and Poplock arrive at Thornfalcon’s just in time to prevent him from murdering Kyri, and instead find themselves in a fight to the death. But Kyri escapes her imprisonment and joins them; together the three kill Thornfalcon despite his nigh-demonic powers, but are then caught in a trap that is unleashing an apparently endless horde of monsters into the midst of Evanwyl. At the last minute, Xavier shows up, and together they locate the source of the monstrosities; Kyri calls upon the power of Myrionar and destroys the gateway through which they are coming.
Once all four have been introduced and understand each others’ stories, Kyri, Poplock, Tobimar, and Xavier make their way to the Temple of the Balanced Sword where they confront two more false Justiciars, Bolthawk and Skyharrier, and reveal them for what they are.
The truth has been revealed, but they know that there are more mysteries—who was truly behind Thornfalcon, how a god’s chosen emissaries can be corrupted, and how this all connects to the rise of war throughout the world. With Xavier now gone on his own quest, it falls to the three of them to find the answers . . .